?Washington County woman is latest fatality in I-65 cross-over accident

Written by Marty Randall

Wednesday, 30 July 2008 00:00

??? For the second time this year, emergency vehicles responded to calls of a fatal accident on Interstate 65 between Scottsburg and Austin that involved a vehicle crossing the grassy median and striking a semi-tractor-trailer.
This time, the mishap occurred just south of the Austin interchange late Monday morning, July 21. A woman motorist, identified as Deborah Gunn, 55, Pekin, was headed south on I-65 on a clear morning around 11:45 a.m. when her silver-colored 1996 Ford Taurus suddenly crossed the median and struck the left rear tandems of a northbound semi-tractor operated by Kenneth J. Yeadon, 55, Mooresville.
Yeadon, who was not injured in the accident, apparently saw the car crossing and slowed and then tried to avoid contact by going nearly off the road. Nothing worked; the car went under the rear trailer and disintegrated as the truck continued north.
Motorists on I-65 who saw the accident called 9-1-1, and emergency vehicles were on their way in minutes to the scene. Responding were Scott County EMS, the Jennings Township Volunteer Fire Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Department, Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department and Indiana State Police.
Scott County Deputy Coroner Kevin Collins pronounced Gunn dead at the scene of multiple injuries. Her name was withheld until late Tuesday morning, July 22, until family members could be contacted, advised Sgt. Jerry Goodin, Public Information Officer with the Sellersburg Indiana State Police post.
The tragedy caused I-65's northbound lanes to be closed for about three hours. Northbound traffic was detoured off at the Scottsburg exit and sent onto State Road 56 to U.S. Highway 31 North. While some vehicles traveled further north to the Crothersville entrance ramp, others regained access to I-65 on State Road 256 in Austin.
Monday’s mishap was the third such cross-over accident that has occurred in that four-mile stretch of the interstate in 2008. One woman survived her accident in which she struck the rear tires of a semi-rig after crossing over to the southbound lanes on June 18. That motorist, Kathy Nix, 46, of Tennessee, was badly injured and is still recovering.
On January 24, a local man, Joseph Kilburn, 22, Austin, was fatally injured when his southbound car crossed the median and struck a semi going northbound. It was thought that another southbound truck may have clipped or cut off his car, sending it out of control.
Another fatality involving a semi-tractor-trailer driver occurred on that day in January in the southbound lanes as officers were clearing the accident scene on the northbound side.
Funeral arrangements for Gunn were made by her family at the Evergreen Funeral Home in Louisville, Ky.